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Pinoy Abroad

RP hires lawyer for brutally murdered OFW in KSA


The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh has hired a lawyer to fight the case for a 22-year-old overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who suffered a brutal death from stab wounds and acid burns in the eastern Saudi Arabian city of al-Khobar over a month ago, the embassy said on Monday. Ezzedin Tago, Philippine Consul General in Jeddah, said the embassy hired a local lawyer of an international law firm to seek justice for Romily Eroy-Ybañez, the Filipino domestic helper who was found in her employer’s residence, bearing stab wounds and acid burns in her mouth, arms and legs. All legal fees will be covered by the legal assistance fund set up by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). “We've hired Bader Al-Busaief, whose law office in al-Khobar is associated with a law firm in Washington, D.C.," Tago said in the Arab News article. “With the legal service of Al-Busaief, we hope that justice will be administered on behalf of Ibañez's parents and relatives as soon as possible," he added. Tago is based in the Philippine consulate based in Jeddah, but communicates with the embassy in Riyadh. The Dammam Central Hospital has also released an autopsy report, which was sent to the governor's office in al-Khobar. It is unclear, however, if local police have arrested any suspect. Foul play suspected Ybañez was found unconscious and wounded in the kitchen of her employer's residence on Sept. 8, and rushed to the King Fahd Hospital where she died. She had been working in the Kingdom for barely four months prior to her death. Initial investigation showed that Ibañez had knife wounds in her neck, abdomen and wrist, as well as acid burns in her mouth area, arms and legs. Hospital staff said the Filipina’s death was caused by the ingestion of acid, which her internal organs could not sustain. An almost-empty container of sulfuric acid was recovered from the scene. The attending physician disclosed that it was impossible for Ybañez to have committed suicide by stabbing herself and ingesting the acid at the same time. Delays slammed Militant groups advocating for migrant workers’ rights expressed concern over the alleged delays in the Saudi police’s issuance of a report on Ybañez’s death. “As far as we know, the autopsy report has been sent to the governor’s office in al-Khobar. It would be the basis of the police report, but so far nothing has been heard about this police report," Migrante Middle East coordinator John Leonard Monterona said in a statement. Agency suspended, benefits set The Department of Labor and Employment, however, had earlier ordered the suspension of Manila-based PRA Solidworks Manpower Resources & Promotion after it found out that Ybañez, who was recruited as a nursing aide for a polyclinic, ended up working as a domestic helper. Ybañez’s parents had filed a complaint before the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration against their daughter’s recruitment agency, noting that Philippine laws prohibit agencies from hiring domestic helpers who are below 23 years old. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), for its part, disclosed last week that since Ybañez was an OWWA member, her next of kin was entitled to receive death and burial benefits and other assistance. Labor Attaché David Des Dicang said Ybañez’s family would receive P200,000 as death benefit and P20,000 as burial assistance from OWWA right after her body was repatriated. OWWA will also provide a “Negosyo cart" to the parents with merchandise worth P40,000 as livelihood assistance, and college scholarship for Romily’s son. OWWA administrator Carmelita Dimzon said in a statement that he had assured the victim’s parents, Merly and Romeo Ybañez of North Cotabato that the OWWA would assist in the repatriation of their daughter’s remains in coordination with the DFA. But Dicang clarified that Ybañez’s remains will only be repatriated as soon as investigations are completed. - DM/KBK, GMANews.TV

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